Solar lamp with flame effect

Abstract

A lamp for illumination or decorative lighting having a lamp unit with a roof portion and a base portion, and a translucent cylindrical enclosure. A single, flat, and rigid PCB is disposed within the enclosure, mounted to the roof portion. A white set of LEDs is mounted on the faces of the PCB and arranged in a plurality of white rows. A colored set of LEDs is mounted on the two faces and arranged in a plurality of colored rows, the white rows interleaved with the colored rows. A battery rechargeable by solar cell powers the LEDs. A switch and electronic circuitry selectively control the white set and colored set, the circuitry configured to perform an off mode (white set and colored set are off), an illumination mode (white set is powered on continuously and the colored set is off), and a flame mode (colored LEDs of the colored set are powered on selectively to simulate a flame), selected by the switch.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lamp for selectively emitting steady white illumination lighting and decorative colored flame-simulating lighting comprising:
 a lamp unit comprising:
 a roof portion, and a base portion attached to the roof portion, the base portion disposed at a bottom end of the lamp unit when in use; 
 a translucent cylindrical enclosure disposed within the lamp unit between the roof portion and the base portion; 
 a single flat and rigid first circuit board disposed within the cylindrical enclosure and mounted to the roof portion or the base portion and having two faces; 
 a white set of white LEDs for emitting white light, the white set mounted on the first circuit board and arranged in a plurality of white rows on each of the two faces; 
 a colored set of colored LEDs for emitting colored light, the colored set mounted on the first circuit board and arranged in a plurality of colored rows on each of the two faces; 
 the white rows interleaved with colored rows; 
 a battery power source for the white LEDs and colored LEDs; and 
 a user-operated switch and electronic circuitry for controlling and selectively powering from the battery the white LEDs and colored LEDs; 
 
 the electronic circuitry configured to operate the lamp in a plurality of modes comprising an off mode, an illumination mode for emitting steady, white illumination lighting, and a flame mode for emitting decorative colored flame-simulation lighting; 
 the switch operable to select one of said plurality of modes; 
 wherein when the off mode is selected, the white set and colored set are off, when the illumination mode is selected, the white set is powered on continuously and the colored set is off, when the flame mode is selected, the colored LEDs of the colored set are powered on selectively by the electronic circuitry to simulate a flame and the white set is off; and 
 wherein the plurality of colored rows comprises a first colored row, a second colored row, and a third colored row; 
 the first colored row disposed near the base portion, the second colored row disposed between the first and third colored rows, and the third colored row disposed near the roof portion; 
 when the flame mode is selected, the first row is powered on for a first duty cycle, the second colored row is powered on for a second duty cycle, and the third colored row is powered on for a third duty cycle; 
 wherein the first duty cycle is greater than the second duty cycle, and the second duty cycle is greater than the third duty cycle. 
 
     
     
       2. The lamp of  claim 1  further comprising solar cells on an outer surface of the roof portion and operably connected to the battery for charging the battery. 
     
     
       3. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein the user-operated switch is a three-position switch for selecting between the off mode, the illumination mode, and the flame mode. 
     
     
       4. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein the lamp unit has the ornamental appearance of a lantern. 
     
     
       5. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical enclosure has the ornamental appearance of the globe or chimney of a traditional lantern. 
     
     
       6. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein when the flame mode is selected, the colored LEDs are selectively powered on in a repeating pattern. 
     
     
       7. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein when the flame mode is selected, the colored LEDs are selectively powered on in a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
       8. The lamp of  claim 1  wherein when the flame mode is selected, the colored LEDs are selectively powered on in a random pattern.